POWER CRISIS IN INDIA

Before entering into the topic, let us first try to understand what actually the word ‘crisis’ means. Crisis means a situation that has reached an extremely difficult or dangerous point; a time of great disagreement, uncertainty or suffering, possibility of suddenly getting either a lot better or a lot worse. Whereas the power is concerned, it can never become the possibility of getting a lot!!!


Power factor of a country is the most fundamental and essentially an economic issue for the rapid growth and development. Unless we take this matter seriously, even god can do nothing. It was really astonishing and disastrous thing I found from internet that there were zero results found about power crisis in world famous Wikipedia!!!


The thing to think is that, are we really in crisis of power?? Is there a world power crisis? Is the demand for energy is higher than the available supply? Sadly, the answer is yes, yes and yes!!! Power sources are running off. People not only in India but in whole world, take power resources for granted. Let me tell you one thing, it is estimated that we have already used 50% of our available non-renewable energy source i.e.; fuel oil, and at the current rate of consumption of our fuel oil supplies, the oil will run out in 30-35 years. This is only if current rate of consumption is not exceeded. According to the Planning Commission of India, 600 million people, roughly half the population is off the electric grid. Many villages, even cities are not getting uninterrupted power supply. India faced 9.6 % energy deficit in 2006-2007 and worst is expected this year.


The government is making all possible efforts. Some tentative progress has been made in the area of T and D (Transmission and Distribution) losses. The progressive Electricity Bill was passed in 2003 by Mr. And Brutus which allows open access of power i.e.; buying and selling of power within states. Nuclear Power deal with USA and Indo-Pak-Iran gas pipeline are some revolutionary measures taken. The UPA government has planned to electrify every household in India by 2009. This project was named Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana with an outlay of Rupees 16,000 crore. Still 1, 20,000 villages remain to be electrified, but are these precautionary measures are fair enough to avoid the huge crisis. It’s really foolishness to expect everything from government. We, the people must also take equal responsibility to fight.


In 1947, India had only about 4,000 MW of total installed capacity. But today, the total installed capacity is 1, 44,564 MW shorting about 50,000 MW of energy to sustain the present growth. Individual contributions from different plants are given bellow,
1. Thermal - 92, 216. 54 MW (64.6%)
2. Hydro - 36, 033. 76 MW (24.7%)
3. Nuclear - 4, 1200 MW (2.9%)
4. Renewable - 12, 194. 57 MW (7.7%)
It is observed that thermal power plants are major contributors. But it is also a major contributor in environmental pollution i.e.; through burning of coal. Indiahas 2, 53, 301 million tones of coal reservoir. It will be completely depleted by 2070. India has to import 1.6 billion tones of coal per annum by 2050 only! Thermal power stations are big threat to environment and the atmosphere. Not only electric power, oil is also perishing. India is the 3ed largest oil importer in the world (2.44 million barrels per day).


Karnataka Government announced 20 percent cut in power supply for Bangalore and 70-80 percent for rural areas. It means unscheduled power cut of 4-6 hours in Bangalore and 16-18 hours in rural areas!!! How can one survive without electricity for 16-18 hours everyday?? It is really a very shameful thing that we are contributing a big zero to save power. We all are addicted and are used to. People in villages are ultimately the victims of power crisis. I think this is the major thing. Since we are not suffering, we can never come across the difficulty.


Think about our next generation. What would be the status with no power in future? Is this not their equal right to use the power? Is this not the unfair thing we are doing with our brothers and sisters? Let them also live. To live is not our only right. Let us sense the things and be more practical in life. Power is life and let us live it in an economical way!!!